The Resume Mistakes

Provided by:

It's deceptively easy to make mistakes on your résumé and exceptionally difficult to repair the damage once an employer gets it. So prevention is critical, especially if you've never written one before. Here are the most common pitfalls and how you can avoid them.

1. Typos and Grammatical Errors

Your resume needs to be grammatically perfect. If it isn't, employers will read between the lines and draw not-so-flattering conclusions about you, like: "This person can't write," or "This person obviously doesn't care."

2. Lack of Specifics

Employers need to understand what you've done and accomplished. For example:

Worked with employees in a restaurant setting.

Recruited, hired, trained and supervised more than 20 employees in a restaurant with $2 million in annual sales.

Both of these phrases could describe the same person, but clearly the second one's details and specifics will more likely grab an employer's attention.

3. Attempting One Size Fits All

Whenever you try to develop a one-size-fits-all résumé to send to all employers, you almost always end up with something employers will toss in the recycle bin. Employers want you to write a résumé specifically for them. They expect you to clearly show how and why you fit the position in a specific organization.

4. Highlighting Duties Instead of Accomplishments

It's easy to slip into a mode where you simply start listing job duties on your resume. For example:

Employee terminations are really difficult and unpleasant tasks for a manager. However, there are some tips you can follow to better handle layoffs. Check the available resources to find local businesses in Corcoran that can help you with layoff handling, termination letters, downsizing, and other employee-related services.